HOW TO BUILD AIRCRAFT DIORAMAS

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

I decided to weather the doors afterall.They just didn't look interesting enough for my liking.
Funny thing about weathering,the more subtle you try to be in your work the longer it takes to do.Beleive it or not ,there is over two hours of work(fun) to add what looks like a few nail holes to the L/H door.These jobs I usually save for a time when I can listen/watch TV at the same time as it really does not require a lot of brain power to do ,just patience.
The secret is to build up the weathering slowly.On those visible nail holes I used very watery raw umber over and over until I got just the right look.You don't want just a dark point but a soft , weathered look.I will now take a little burnt sienna pastel and further soften a few of the fake nailheads at the bottom to give it a slightly rusty look where the door may have come in contact with water.
Raw umber in its various watery consistencies really makes the best crud and in heavier applications great WW1 mud.Various other earth tones, and black and white, can be mixed in to produce a variety of colors.
In my opinion if you are trying to simulate wood in scale it is best to use wood and not some other medium .There really is no substiute for using the real thing if your looking for the nice weathered look.For barn siding,old fences etc... use it dry with no sealers.Paint it with watery gouche acrylics or watercolors and seal over with a fixative if you must.
The most important thing is not to rush .I happen to like weathering,fooling around and being creative with it.I know that there are probably lots of you who would rather do the airplane or car part.But for dioramists it is most important to treat each part you are doing with equal precision, yes even that board behind the toilet in the washroom that hardly ever would be seen.You must be consistent in the quality of your work and not just blow it off because it is not your favorite thing to do.Some of the best advise that I was ever given is to "Treat each part with respect and as a little work of art of its own ,take the time to do it right ,and in the end your final composition will truly be a work of art.

[JohnReid]

FTS Projects - a petition to bring Achim's thread back
The undersigned are in support of the wonderful efforts of Achim Engels, who for so long on this forum has tirelessly shared the intricate and endless details of his project builds with us. We hope that he will come back to the aerodome forum and continue his mega-thread or start a continuation of it on a new thread.

~AAC Cadet Leader (M. Esch)
Please support this petition!

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

Just under the table top I am planning 3 drawers(false) complete with pulls.There will be a shelf at the bottom for tool storage.I will put it on the same type of casters as the engine stand has.The tabletop will be covered with oil spotted newspaper on top of which will be those left over exhaust parts and a few tools.The whole thing will be painted Reid& Sons french blue and then weathered.
I find it a real joy to sit down with a knife and carve something every once and awhile ,although if I was to build it again, totally from scratch ,I would use basswood as it would take about half the time.Unfortunately ,most of these craft store parts are made of birch which can, for a novice ,be a little hard to carve with just an xacto.I recommend that you change the blade quite often to avoid having to force the tool and remember for safety sake always carve in a direction away from yourself .

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

The above is a pic of the Nieuport 28 model that I built 4 or 5 years ago for a diorama.It is in 1/16th scale and is adapted from a Model Expo kit.
I am posting these pics for your info only ,as I really don't recommend this kit other than as a starting point for a semi-scratch build .I won't repeat all of that here but you can see from the pic the metal fittings leave a lot to be desired.

[JohnReid]